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Wednesday, 16 August 2006 04:06 |
 | | Marc Mullinax |
"In this ǃÚsacredë book of family scandals we find filth, sex orgies, cannibalism, atrocities, sex perversions, incest, bloody violence unparalleled in any other chronicle in all the literature of the world. Fortunately, not one-third of the human family has ever heard of the Christian Bible; not one-tenth of the Christians have ever read it, and no two who have read it agree as to its meaning."
ÇƒÓ Frank C. Hughes
MARS
HILL ÇƒÓ This is an interactive column. Feel free to continue my efforts
begun below, and e-mail your best contributions to me. Iëll use a
future column for them.
Our culture
foists the Bible upon us at every turn. We take oaths and get sworn
into office on it. One cannot rent a Bible-free hotel room. The
unrelenting efforts to get this violent and sex-filled book into the
public schools baffle me. Obviously, the ones who would bully it upon
us most understand it least.
The Bible
paraded to us often has little to do with sacred writ, writ long ago.
To understand the Bible one has to be a CONSERVATIVE and study it as if
one were an ancient. LIBERALS read into it their own concerns, morality
and think these are eternal issues.
Thus, to hang
the Ten Commandments on public nails is nicely intentioned but
seriously misguided. But what about the rest of the Bible? Could we not
groundswell a movement to post the following verses in public?
ï On public
schools and religious TV: "But when you pray, go into your closet,
close the door and pray to your Father" (Matthew 6:6).
ï At the Pentagon: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of G-d" (Matthew 5:9).
ï In convenience
storesë magazine section: "I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart"
(Matthew 5:28).
ï The Oval Office: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
ï Every
paycheck: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the
other. You cannot serve both G-d and Money" (Matthew 5:24); plus "You
may say to yourself, ǃÚMy power and the strength of my hands have
produced this wealth for me.ë But remember the LORD your G-d, for it is
he who gives you the ability to produce wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).
ï Every pulpit,
in full view of the congregation: "Not everyone who says to me, ǃÚLord,
Lord,ë will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will
of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21).
ï Every refrigerator: "You must not eat any fat or any blood" (Leviticus 3:17).
ï On every car and gun: "Do not make gods of cast metal for yourselves" (Leviticus 19:4).
ï On tattoo parlors: "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves" (Leviticus 19:28).
ï Every 100
yards at the Mexican border: "When an alien lives with you in your
land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as
one of your native-born. Love him as yourself" (Leviticus 19:33).
ï Every few
miles on the highways: "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise
man keeps himself under control" (Proverbs 29:11) plus "But now you
must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice,
slander, and filthy language from your lips" (Colossians 3:8).
ï And finally,
on the door of every clothes-seller, -designer, or -maker: "Donët wear
clothes woven of two kinds of material" (Leviticus 19:19).
Why should the Ten Commandment hangers have all the fun? Send in your contributions.
ï
Dr. Marc S.
Mullinax, chairman of the philosophy and religion departments at Mars
Hill College, can be reached at mmullinax-at-mhc.edu.
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